Clean and restrained, the cooking rivals that of far fancier dining destinations, and O’Brien walks the line between inventive and soulfully delicious. It all adds up to one of our favorite dining experiences in Washington.

Open: Wednesday through Saturday for dinner.

Don’t miss: The menu changes monthly and ranges from $90 to $135 (including tax, tip, and wine). Recent favorites have included pork four ways with Brussels sprouts; potato soup topped with smoked hake; pork belly and clams; and green-curry pot de crème.

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Logan Circle.

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.